The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1887-11-03
THE NATIONS CAPITAL.
A BILL TO MAKE CONGRESSMEN
WORK LONGER.
Institution of Another Office.-Vessels
Quarantined-I Revenue.CIeve.
land and Hill, etc., etc.

!
Saturday, the Attorney for George 81.
Thoebe, contestant against the Hon. John
G. Carlisle for seat in the 50th Congress
filed 60 copies of his brief with the clerk
of the House as required by law.
The International Fishery Commission
meets here early in November. The Ameri-
can members are already at the Arlington.
Mr.. Chamberlain and Sir Chas. Tupper are
| expected to join the other Commissioners
about November the 9TH.
It is generally conceded that the decision
of the Supreme Court which will be rem
dered Monday afternoon will be adverse
to the Anarchists The speech of Mr..
Grinnell, of Illinois, who came with At
torney General Hunt, was remarkable for
its clearness and for the ease with which
it was delivered. 1t was partly extempo-
rary and nearly the whole of it was deliv-
cred without reference to manuscript.
Mr.. Grinnell is young man and typical
Western lawyer, but the venerable judges
Of the Supreme Court listened to him with
marked attention. He made the closing
argument against and Ben Butler for, the
issuing of writ of error.
One of the important measures that the
50th Congress will be called upon to con-
slider is the bill presented last winter by
Mr. Grain, of Texas, regulating the official
term of members of Congress and provid-
ing that each Congress shall meet two
months after the election, instead of wait
ing three hundred and ninety-five days as
1t does now. Mr.. Grain has realized that
public measure like this must have time
to impress lis Importance upon the coun-
Try. He therefore began with its advocacy
year ago, though he did not expect the
bill to pass then. 1t was short session,
/ and other things of immediate necessity
We're pressing. But he now believes that the
/ bill Will pass at the coming session. There
is every reason why it shall become law.
The present tenure of Representative in
/ Congress is unsatisfactory to both parties
SO its correction would not be a party
measure but one commencing itself to the
/ good sense of the whole country. Under
the present method members elect draw
S3. 600 Of The peoples money before they
render any legislative service whatever.
/ Then members fresh from their constitu
encies, if they begun their legislative duties
/ within TWO months after their election,
would be fully instructed as to the wishes
OF those who sent them to Washington,
/ whereas, with over year elapsing, as it
! now does, between the election of Con-
| gressmen and their meeting, issues of
!
! ly modified or be eliminated from politics.
| Under the present system there is really
! but about six or eight months work in each
two years term. The short session is
usually barren of great results and about
all the useful work of each Congress is
done during the nrst and long session
Mr.. Grain fully appreciates this and says
he means to try and remedy it. The pass
age of the bill would give the country two
years continuous session of Congress if it
were required. But that would not hap
pen except in an extraordinary emergency.
The first term would generally last from
six to seven months. 1t would begin two
months after the election, or on the second
Tuesday in January after the election, the
tenure of office to commence with the New
| Year. The second session OF a Congress
| would be of six months duration if the
public business demanded it. So there
| would be thirteen or fourteen months of
working time in each term instead of
about six deducting the vacation, &c, >
as the law now stands. There will be no
difficulty in having such an act ratified by
two-thirds of the States (for it would re-
quire another amendment to the Constitu-
tom if the matter were properly under
stood. The usual anxiety of commercial
centres when Congress is in session would
be very much lessened, for there would
be plenty of time to consider measures,
and "none of the railroading" which the
| hurried close of the usual term now gives
such ample facilities. Mr.. Grain is young
man, stalwart Democrat and has already
| made a reputation as one of the abest and
most careful members of the Texas dele
CATION in the last Congress, and will make
his mark in the 50th. He represents the
finest agricultural region of the Lone Star
! ~ no hos dc iy,h
trict and all the sugar grown in the State
is made on the great plantations in Bra
zoria and Fort Bend counties.
Mrs. and Miss Steele, of Kentucky, the
mother and sister of Mrs. Senator Vance,
are visiting that lady at her residence
1927 Massachusetts Avenue.
Early in December Mrs. Cleveland will
resume her informal morning receptions
at the White House so as to become ac-
quainted with the families of the new Con
gressmen.
Mr.. J. T. Wilson, popular young busi
ness man of Winston, and his bride are al
the Ebbitt House.
The Secretary of the Navy, who is per
haps the most industrious member of the
Cabinet, has been overworked and his ply
sicians prescribe absolute rest for few
weeks. His sickness, am glad to say, is
not serious and he will be again in his of
flee about the first of December.
1t is said that an effort will be made next
winter to create a position of Assistant
Secretary of War. Such an officer does not
now exist, and Mr.. John Tweedale, the
Republican Chief Clerk, runs the depart
ment pretty much to suit himself.
DR.. T. E. StTatton, President of The
Board of Health of Richmond, was il
Washington yesterday and had long in
tervew with Surgeon General Hamilton
The latter on Friday sent notification tt
the Richmond Board of Health that the
quarantine at Cape Charles, Va, would
be raised tomorrow and the inspection o.
vessels discontinued. The letter was laiC
before the Board of Health Friday night
and that body instructed DR.. Stratton tt
proceed at once to Washington.
Dr. Stratton informed the Surgeon Gen
eral that to raise the quarantine would re
move all protection from the ports of Nor
folk, Richmond, Baltimore and Washing
, ton and he added that vessels from in
| fected ports might enter Chesapeake Ba,
and unload their cargoes or land thei
passengers, and thus spread the choler'
, germs in this country. DR.. Hamilton re
! lAl L. I'd